Catherine of Aragon
'Catherine of Aragon '''is Henry's first wife. She appears in seasons 1, 2 and a dream in season 4. She is popular and all that a queen should be, but Henry becomes convinced that their marriage is null and void, and makes it his mission to divorce her. Catherine is hurt but comes to accept that she is no longer in the King's good graces, and she has been replaced by a new, younger queen - Anne Boleyn. Catherine is banished from court and from seeing her daughter Mary and dies four years after her banishment. Her death comes a shock and mental slap in the face for both Mary and Henry, and her goodbye letter to Henry states that she forgives him for all the wrong he has done her. Catherine believes she is Henry's true wife until her death. She is overjoyed when she sees her daughter Mary, although it is hinted that this is a hallucination. Season 1 Catherine is the popular and graceful Queen of England. In the first episode Henry injures himself and Catherine stresses to him that she would rather he didn't joust again, although he does. Catherine's daughter Mary is betrothed to the Dauphin of France and Catherine tells Henry she can't disguise her distress. Henry simply tells her, "Well, you're going to have to." This arrangement is broken and Mary is betrothed again, but the Emperor, Mary's betrothed, marries Princess Isabella, tempted by her money, and Mary is left unbetrothed. While Catherine is at church praying, Henry sleeps with one of her ladies in waiting, who takes Catherine's place sexually. Later on in the first episode, Catherine sees Elizabeth Blount, Henry's mistress, bending over due to her pregnancy with Henry's child, and realizes "Bessie" (Elizabeth's nickname) is pregnant. She knows it is Henry's, and sits Bessie down telling her she is the only person she can trust. Bessie doesn't talk and listens to Catherine's story. Catherine tells Bessie the King blames her for not producing a son for him. She says Henry doesn't understand how much she suffers and Bessie remains silent. Catherine doesn't seem to express any hatred towards Bessie despite Bessie having slept with her husband. Earlier on Catherine tells Henry at dinner that he no longer visits her bedchamber and Henry just tells her to eat, effectively dodging Catherine's reference to his adultery. Henry tells Wolsey at the end of episode 4 that he wants a divorce, and the King has now fallen for the beautiful and seductive Anne Boleyn. He chases her and loves it, but chasing her only makes Henry want her more, as she is the only one so far who has made him work for it. Catherine realizes that Henry and Anne Boleyn are having an affair, but tells Anne Boleyn that Henry will tire of her. Anne replies with the golden response: "And what if he does not?" however Catherine's prediction is proven correct in season 2. Despite Anne being one of Catherine's ladies in waiting, Catherine begins being hostile to Anne, who still serves her nonetheless. Catherine tells Anne that she cannot the King away from her, but this is indeed untrue. Henry continues his affair with Anne Boleyn. He visits Catherine in her chapel and bluntly tells her their marriage is at an end. He confesses to not knowing these things before but now understands them. Catherine realizes Henry is divorcing her and she sinks down on the floor, crying. She continues trying to be Henry's wife, and tells him and several other people several times that her marriage with Henry's deceased brother Arthur was never consummated, although Henry doesn't believe this and remains in firm belief that a man who marries his brother's wife will die childless. When it is pointed out that Henry ''has a child, he says he has a child but no son. Catherine and Henry sleep in the same bed still and he says she is denying him justice, calling her "so heartless." He pulls on her heart strings, saying he can't persuade himself she loves him. Catherine announces she does and has never ceased to and he knows it. She is evidently hurt by Henry's obvious disinterest as the two loved and respected one another in their early years. This is obvious. In episode 7 a plague breaks out, the sweating sickness, and Henry is distressed when it does, shouting, "What about my wife, the queen?" He sends Catherine and Mary away to a secluded place to protect them from the sweating sickness. Catherine asks if Henry is sending her away so he can see his mistress, Anne Boleyn, and Henry says he doesn't sleep with Anne while he and Catherine are still married. He assures her he still loves her enough to protect her from dying, and Catherine is charmed. However, Henry pulls away suddenly as Catherine is about to tell him something and she furiously says that he acts as though love itself is a plague. He says he will write letters and to tell Mary that he loves her. Catherine is not seen for a little while but reappears soon enough. In episode 9